The King of the Iron Fist Tournament...
I’ve been absolutely spoiled by fighters this year already. Tekken 8’s closed network test (CNT) has been a magnificent peer beyond the horizon to what Harada and Bandai Namco have in-store for its fanbase. While a release date is certainly being held tight lipped at this time, after having played a number of hours over the past weekend, I can safely say that this is unequivocally the best Tekken experience I’ve had in years. The fighter’s seventh iteration had gamers on their toes with spectacular graphics but its fluidity was placed out of the frying pan and into the fire, and called out for exponential recycling. It held up to some of the greatest franchises, but the hype quickly withered after some time on the market. Tekken 8 will no doubt change that perception this generation.
Out of the gate, I was elated to see an extremely polished design surrounding the five available environments, and was completely blown away by character models and detail in their appearance. With no shortage of characters to choose from, we had a rich preview on our hands with mainstays making appearances and few omissions that are hopefuls for the full release. The network test was quick to introduce us with a nice intro that rolled straight through to the main menu, where a close-up of Kazuya Mishima’s in-game model emanated to which I was able to rotate, and take a quick gander at how incredible the details were from a standstill. In-game however, the elevated adrenaline poised a perspective that had me gasp in awe. The games shaders and reflectors are out of this world.
Generations of refining Tekken has unquestionably cultivated an excellent turnabout in its eighth iteration’s mammoth potential. The mechanics are fast, vicious yet readable and executing a string of combinations felt extremely satisfying from all characters. Jin’s methodical pacing has always been my favourite since Tekken 3, while King’s strength, Law’s speed and Nina’s seductive prowess are demonstrated at their best. Admittedly, I did not get to play every character as the CNT had major issues connecting players. While it’s hard to dissect what the issue was, all I know is that my limited period being part of this closed round was practically in its waiting lobby. I did have some luck connecting to few players that were based in the Oceanic servers, but rounds with international gamers had bouts stuttering or freeze framing.
While these issues may have interrupted the experience, there’s a testament to the early net code put in place for Tekken 8, as the worst experience was not actually that bad. Despite the stuttering, there was zero input lag during the fight and could easily finish our rounds to the point where it wasn’t bothersome whatsoever. It’s not ideal of course, and would sincerely appreciate developers amend those problems prior to release, but an exemplary display of how great Tekken 8’s online is through some uncertainty was oddly delightful in an unfortunate circumstance. While new style controls were offered from the initial onset, I opted to use Tekken’s classic control scheme as I was already acclimated and had a limited time to get playing with the beta. Some new features were welcome for those that are newcomers to the series, displaying yours and your opponents action buttons, making it easier to read their playstyle.
“R1” on PlayStation activates Heat Burst, allowing your fighter to execute a powerful string of combination attacks by simply mashing the should button while “R2” triggers Rage Art, a maneuverer best used as a finishing blow, or at a time of desperation to deplete your enemy’s health with style. Melee attacks, grapples and signature moves are all the same here, so the sense of familiarity is evident with the additional polish layered on top for expeditious improvement. Tekken devout won’t have a tough time getting reacclimated with their main as long as they’re part of this entry, however the renewed pacing in Tekken 8 may encourage players to try out a new character or work on some strats with a fighter that they may have yet to master.
A teaser to whet the appetite, Tekken 8’s closed network test has already left an impression amongst its community, and while there were kinks that are undoubtedly being ironed out, this was a promising showing from one of the greatest fighting franchises in the history of video games. While we wait anxiously for a release date to satiate our hunger, the urge to be the King of the Iron Fist grows evermore. I’ve had my fun with this exclusive look at Tekken’s next chapter and let me tell you, this is going to be an outstanding arc for the series. Seemingly polished from just this preview alone, one can only guess from any indication here, we’re not far off from launch. Tekken 8’s influence on the fighting game community could possibly set a benchmark for many to follow suit upon its release.
Tekken 8
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Tekken 8 is an upcoming fighting game co-developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Arika and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The eighth main and tenth overall installment in the Tekken series, the game is set to be released for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X and Series S.
